The Wilton Estate has been crying out for some GoodGym style lovin’ recently as during recent weeks we’ve been despatched to empty planters off Mare Street. So, this week we returned to the estate to weed and prune, readying the beds for winter and generally tidying up.

A sweaty - despite the chilly conditions - leg blaster warm up of squats, lunges, jump-squats and jump-lunges plus some burpees for good measure, in the park got everyone’s juices flowing, ready for the short-but-sweet journey round the corner to the estate - GoodGym Hackney’s second home of sorts. Debbie, who takes care of the gardens there, uses produce from the beds to not only feed local residents but also to make dyes for community classes aimed at local women, many of whom might not have English as a first language, these items can then be sold to support future activities. This is just one of the ways which the organisation aims to help otherwise isolated people engage with the greater community.

"Thanks again for last night, such a lot has been cleared its fantastic." Debbie, Wilton Estate

As you’d expect, the 11 runners in attendance made very short work of what Debbie had in store for us allowing ample time for a lovely, long 3.5 mile run up and around Hackney Downs, arriving back at E5 Bakehouse dead on 8:30 for a quick stretch before finishing up the evening with some onion distribution. That’s right, onion distribution: this week we came away not only with tired legs and dirty hands but with a rucksack full of onions (yes, my rucksack very much smells of onions now).

Thanks all for coming and special welcome to our first-timer Sebastian. See you all soon.